U.S. Senators are pushing new bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing runway incursions by improving airport vehicle training and expanding the use of surface safety technology.
The Runway Surface Awareness and Focused, Effective Training and Technology (Runway SAFE-T) Act, introduced Tuesday by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), follows a series of high-profile runway incidents, including the March accident at New York’s LaGuardia Airport in which a landing airliner collided with an airport fire truck.
The proposal would establish an FAA-led task force charged with reviewing airport driver training programs and recommending best practices for vehicle operations in movement areas. The panel would include representatives from airports, the FAA, the NTSB, emergency response organizations, airport vehicle operators and other aviation stakeholders. Its recommendations would be delivered to the FAA within one year.
The legislation would also allow airports to use existing FAA Airport Safety and Resilient Infrastructure Discretionary Program funding for technologies and training intended to reduce vehicle-related runway incursions and improve situational awareness for ground personnel.
Moran said recent close calls demonstrate the need to address surface safety before another major accident occurs. Hickenlooper noted that more than 500 runway incursions have been recorded so far this year, arguing that airports of all sizes need better tools and training to keep workers and passengers safe.
The measure builds on testimony presented during a Senate aviation subcommittee hearing in June, where lawmakers examined runway safety trends and the increasing number of surface incidents across the National Airspace System.
The bill has drawn support from several aviation organizations, including the Airports Council International–North America, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, the Air Medical Operators Association and the Air Traffic Control Association, all of which cited the need for improved training, technology and coordination to reduce runway conflicts.
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